# Roman Numerals: What is beyond M?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-numerals-what-is-beyond-m/175513>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 15, 2003, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-numerals-what-is-beyond-m/175513 "2003-05-15T19:17:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2003, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-numerals-what-is-beyond-m/175513/1 "2003-05-15T19:17:36Z")

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How many letters does the Roman numeral system employ? We know I, V, X, L, C, M…and I recall M with a bar over it, but what did that mean? I forget… And, do I vaguely recall a “D”, or did I imagine that??? And, why were these letters chosen??? As opposed to A, B, C…or whatever the Roman alphabet used???

As the Roman Rikki would say to Roman Lucy Ricardo: I,I,I,I,I!

- Jinx

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**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-numerals-what-is-beyond-m/175513/2 "2003-05-15T19:44:41Z")

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Click [here](http://www.novaroma.org/via_romana/numbers.html) and [here](http://www.legionxxiv.org/numerals/Default.htm) for the skinny on Roman numerals. The second link goes into a bit more detail.

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**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2003, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-numerals-what-is-beyond-m/175513/3 "2003-05-15T22:41:25Z")

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Here’s a link for you, **Jinx**. [url=http://www.google.com/] GOOGLE!\*\* It wants to be your friend. I want it to be your friend.

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**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2003, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-numerals-what-is-beyond-m/175513/4 "2003-05-15T22:46:29Z")

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[:mad:](http://www.google.com/)